Seamless tubular knit fabric and process of knitting the same.



W. B. SMITH.

SEAMLESS TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC AND PROCESS OF KNITTING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1913.

1,120,41 9. Patented Dec. 8, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. E. SMITH.

SEAMLBSS TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC AND PROCESS OF KNITTING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13.1913.

1 1 20,41 9, Patented Dec. 8, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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W. E. SMITH. SEAMLESS TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC AND PROCESS OF KNITTING THE SAME. PPPP IC'\TION FILED MAY 13 1913.

1 1 20,41 9. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

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WILLIAM E. SMITH, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO KILBOURN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEAMLESS TU'BULAR KNIT FABRIC AND PROCESS OF KNITTING THE SAME.

Application filed May 13, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at -New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex ing had to the accompanying drawing -m y invention in which the reinforcing fabric at that point.

which illustrates a seamless tubular knit stocking embodying my invention and constructed in accordance with my improved process and my said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawing, Figure 1 represents diagrannnatically a mans stocking constructed in' accordance with and embodying my invention, which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 represents diagrammatically the construction of'the stocking at the point indicated by the dotted lines 22 and 22 of Fig. 1 and illustrating diagrammatically in connection therewith the arrangement of thread guides for producing the tubular Fig. 3 represents diagrammatically the construction of the tubular fabric of the leg at the ,point 'indicated by the dotted line 33 of Fig. 1, and also indicates diagrammatically the operation of the thread guide for producing this portion of the fabric. Fig. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view representing a portion of the tubular fabric having a part'extending less than the entire distance around the same, reinforced, as at the high splice above the heel and throughout the the stocking, the fabric being shown in Fig. 4, as it would appear if severed centrally at the front of the stocking and spread out fiat, portions being: ofnecessity broken away to permit the figure to be placed on the sheet. Fig. 5 is a view similar-to Fig. 1, showing a portion of a stocldngembodying Specification of Letters Patent.

oot portion of Serial No. 767,320.

threads in the high splice portion above the heel are introduced into a smaller number of stitches at the, upper part of the high splice and into gradually increasing numbers of stitches in succeeding courses so as to cause the front edges of the high spliced portions to'incline from the top downwardly and forwardly as therein shown. Fig. 6 is a side view of another modified form of stock In the manufacture of seamless tubular fabric such, for example, as stockings,

wherein it is desired to provide reinforced.

portions which extend less than the entire distance around the tube, as for example,

throughout the sole portion of the stocking and through a portion ofthe leg immediately above the heel which is usually termed the high splice or high spliced portion, it is customary to introduce along with the knitting thread an auxiliary or splicingthread at one side of the tube and to knit with the two threads throughout that portion, ordinarily the rear portion of the stocking or tube which is to be reinforced, then to carry the reinforcing thread across the needle cylinder to the point of its first introduction while continuing with the main knitting thread around the balance of the needles, then again introducing the same reinforcing thread and so on. After the reinforced portion is completedthere will obviously be a series of float threads extend ing across the tube and these are severed near each side of the tube after the stocking is completed. This method ofreinforcing is open to some objection, especially in the production of very fine hosiery and the like. For example, when a stocking having a fine thread, as in the better classes of cotton, lisle and silk hosiery,'is drawn on the foot, the loose ends of the various courses of the reinforcing thread are apt to extend beneath thethin front portion of the leg and top portion of the foot, particularly those of the courses constituting the high splice, where they show through the trans- Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

parent portion of the stocking and present a ragged and unsightly appearance. It is necessary to out these float threads at some distance from the inner face of the stocking in order to preventthe cut ends as far as projecting from the outer surface of the possible from pulling through toand stocking, and at times these loose ends form bunches along the side of the foot, or aline of greater thickness, as they are located at the junctions of the reinforced and thinner portions of the fabric, so that they become annoying to the wearer, and when they do pull through to the outer surface of the stocking as is frequently the case even when a considerable length of these float threads is left in cutting off, they project outwardly and are unsightly-especially along the edges of the high splice above the heel.

The object of my invention is to dispense entirely with float threads and to form the reinforced portion of the stocking by the main knitting thread which extends entirely around the stocking, and two separate rein forcing threads, one of which is introduced into a certain number of stitches on one side of a line of demarcation extending longitudinally of and preferably located centrally of the reinforced portion, the other reinforcing thread being introduced into a corresponding number of stitches in each course on the opposite side of said line of demarcation, and each of said reinforcing threads being continuous from its point of introduction in allthe reinforced stitches on one side of said line, throughout all the courses of any particular reinforced portion. 1 may introduce the two reinforcing threads in the manner described in courses in which the main knitting thread is carried entirely around the tube as in the ordinary circular work, but I prefer to knit with the main knitting thread by reciprocating work throughout the courses in which the reinforced portions occur, each course of the reciprocating work, however, extending entirely around the tubular fabric and said courses being united at the line of demarcation before referred to, which in a stocking will preferably be located along the bottom of the sole and centrally thereof, and centrally of the back of the leg above the heel. Those portions of the stocking which are not reinforced and which are tubular, as the leg portion above the high splice, may be knit circularly in the usual manner or they may be knit by reciprocating work with the main knitting thread, the reciprocating courses extending entirely around the leg and being united at a line extending vertically up the back of the leg.

In carrying my invention into efiect, for the production, for example, of a mans half hose or stocking such as I have shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of illustrating one concrete embodiment of my invention, and assuming that the stocking is knit from the top of the leg down,- the method of knitting will be as follows: The ribbed top portion T having been knit in the usual manner and applied to the needles of a circular knitting machine the leg portion L is knit as a tubular fabric with the main knitting thread. As before stated, this portion may be knit by circular work in the ordinary manner or it may be knit by reciprocating work in the manner indicated in the diagram Fig. 3 in which A represents the thread guide for the main knitting thread which is reciprocated from the position shown in full lines to the position shown'in dotted lines, at A and back to the position shown at A, the various courses being united as indicated at S to form an interloopment of the final stitches of the several courses after the manner of the interloopment of the separate yarns in what is termed split foot work and forming a vertically disposed joining or suture at S, which extends longitudinally of the leg at the back of the same as indicated in Fig. l.

hen the point indicated by line 2 2 is reached, where it is desired to introduce a reinforcing thread in the back portion only of the leg, to form the high splice it, two additional thread guides B and C located at opposite sides of the needle cylinder are brought into use, each one of which supplies a reinforcing thread indicated diagrammatically at R and R which are knit continu: ously back and forth on opposite sides of the suture S and continuously through the reinforced portion each-thread guide B and C being reciprocated from its lateral position to a position at the rear of the stocking as indicated at B and C respectively, and back again.

Any suitable mechanism can be employed for carrying out my invention, for example, the knitting cam which reciprocates all the way around the cylinder may be provided with a suitable thread guide for the main knitting thread, and with suitable means for taking up the appropriate auxiliary thread guide B or G, as it passes the opposite sides of the needle cylinder, moving rearwardly and carrying both the main and one auxiliary thread guide rearwardly to the center of the rear half of the cylinder needles and so much beyond the center as may be necessary to produce the interloopment at S, before referred to, said cam on its return movement restoring the auxiliary thread guide to its lateral position and forming a partial course of reinforced stitches during this operation of the return movement then passing around the cylinder with the main thread guide, knitting nonreinforced stitches, to a point on the opposite side of the cylinder where it will pick up the opposite auxiliary thread guide and in like manner carry it rearwardly to the suture S. and back to its lateral position and so on. Assuming that the high splice portion has been thus produced and reinforced, the heel D. is then knit by reciprocating work with .e rear portion of the needles in the usual manner while the front portion of the needles remains stationary. The heel D. should be knit with a separate thread and as a heavier fabric or may be reinforced in any known or desired manner.

After knitting the heel, the knittingof tubular work is resumed in the manner just 7 previously described with respect to the foot portion as along the lines one of which is indicated at e, and being knit reciprocatingly to and from the suture S in the manner previously described. The toe pocket G is then formed in the usual manner or in any preferred manner and will preferably .be formed of heavier fabric like the heel pocket either by knitting it with a separate heavier thread or with a reinforcing thread, and by the reciprocation of the cam actuating the rear portion of the nee dleswhile the front portion thereof remains stationary. The stocking is completed by joining the front edge of the top portion e of the, foot (which 1s preferably reinforced for a number of courses as at e) to the front edge of the toe pocket at g to form the usual toe joining in any usual or desired manner.

In knittin the portion. of the le taining the Iiigh splice H, it will cone ob served that there are no float threads and when that portion is completed there will remain on the inside of the stocking only the two ends of each of the reinforcing threads R 'R which will be located in; the first and last courses of the high splice.

There will, therefore, be no fringe of float thread ends as in the case where the splicingthread is floated across the cylinder and furthermore, the reinforcing threads' are continuous throughout all the courses of the spliced portion on opposite sides ,of the suture or line of demarcation before referred to.

In some instances, I prefer to vary the number of stitches in the successive courses of the high splice, so that the upper courses of the hi' h splice will not extend forwardly toward t e center of the side portions of the stocking as far as the lower courses, as shown in Fig. 5 in' which the the high spliced portion is represented by H In knitting the portion of the leg in which this modified form of high splice, occurs the operation is thel sameas has, been previously described in connection with the knitting of the high splice H, except that in the upper courses of the high splice the auxiliary thread guides B and C are reciprocated onl thread gui e A to and from the suture S andin the succeeding courses the extent of reciprocation of the auxiliary thread ides a short distance with the main B and C is gradually increased until in the were: made the same width throughout as indicated in Fig. l.

In stockings as ordinarily manufactured it is usual to have the reinforced stitches of the sole portion carried up-on each side to a line substantially midway between the center of the top and the center of the bottom, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5. In some instances, however, it is desirable to vary the extent'of the reinforced stitches u the sides of the foot at difl'erentportions of the length of the stocking. For example, near the toe pocket it is desirable to have it extend upward farther than the median line to which it is usually carried and which is indicated bythe dotted line 00-10 in Fig. 6, while with shoes having very low uppers, such as dancing pumps and the like,

the reinforced portions would be apt to show. above the up er edge of the shoe at points between the eel and toe. I therefore in some instances vary the number of reinforced stitches in the sole at different points in the length'thereof to meet these conditions, and in Fig. 6 for example I have shown the reinforced stitches in the courses adjacent to the toepocket carried at each side, to gradually increasing distances up- 2 ward beyond the median llne a:.a2, over the top ortion of the foot, as indicated at f and i desired a few courses adjacent to the toe joining may be carried entirely around the foot as indicated by the dotted 2 .of the foot, so that the upper edges 7" of.

the reinforced portions will lie below the edges of even a dancing pump or other shoe having a low cut upper. T e line f may commence as far back as the heel pocket,

if desired, but I prefer to knit a few courses f Zia " number of stitches of each course extending entirely adjacent to the heel in which the reinforced stitches are carried up substantially to the top edge of the heel pocket, although this is not essential. In knitting in the manner herein described with courses of reciprocatingwork extending entirely around the foot and interlooped along the center of the bottoln of the sole and using the two separate reinforcing threads for reinforcing the stitches on opposite sides of said line of interloopment, the thread guides may be carried laterally a greater or less distance in the various courses, so as to readily produce the result described andillustrated in'Fig. 6.

I donot desire to be limited to the exact details of construction herein set forth as variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tubular knit fabric composed of successive courses of stitches knit reciprocatingly, each reciprocating course extending 25 entirely around the tubular fabric, the ends of said courses being inter-knit along a single line extending longitudinally of and-at one side of the tube.

2.- A seamless tubular knit fabric having a reinforced portion extending less than the entire distance around the same, said fabric being composed of a plurality of courses of stitches extending entirely around the fabric, and having two separate reinforcing threads, one of which is introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course, lying onone side of a line of demarcation extending longitudinally of the fabric, and 'the other being introduced into a certain lying on the opposite side of said line; each of f said reinforcing threadsbeing continuous throughout the reinforced stitches of all the courses on one side of said line.

3. A seamless tubular knit fabric, having a reinforced portion extending less than the entire way around the same, said fabric being composed of a plurality of courses of reciprocating work, the stitches of said courses around the tubular fabric, and being united along a longitudinal line. at one side of the tube, and substantially in the center of said reinforced portion thereof, and two separate reinforcing threads, one of which is introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course on one side of said line, and the other being introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course on theopposite side'of said line, said reinforcing threads being each continuous throughout the courses of said reinforced portion.

4. A seamless stocking having the portion of the leg above the heel comprising a plurality of courses of reciprocating work exreinforcing tending entirely around the leg, and having their ends united along a longitudinal line at the rear of the leg, and having separate threads introduced into a certain number of the stitches of each course on opposite sides of said longitudinal line, each of said reinforcing threads extending throughout the reinforced stitches of all the courses of the reinforced portion on one side of said line.

5. A seamless stocking having the foot portion between the heel and toe pockets reinforced along the sole portion of the foot, said foot portion being composed of courses of reciprocating work, each course extending entirely around the foot portion and having their ends united along a line extending longitudinally of and substantially in the center of the sole, a certain number of stitches of each course on one side of said line being reinforced by the insertion of a continuous reinforcing thread and a certain number of stitches of each course on the other side of said line being reinforced by a separate continuous reinforcing thread.

6. A seamless stocking having tubular lmit leg and foot portions, and narrowed and widened heel and toe pockets; the portion of the leg above the heel pocket, having a high spliced portion, and the sole of the foot portion being reinforced, the said tubular portions containing said reinforced portions being each formed by reciprocating work, with a main knitting thread, the stitches of each course extending entirely around the tube and being interlooped at a line extending down the back of the leg above the heel and along the sole of the foot, and two separate reinforcing threads, one of which is knit continuously and reciprocatingly through all the stitches of the courses of said reinforced portion lying at one side of the line of interloopment, and the other of which is knit continuously and reciprocat ingly through the stitches of the courses of the reinforced portion lying on the opposite side of the line of interlooprnent.

7. A seamless stocking having the leg and foot portions formed of a main knitting thread but by reciprocating work, said reciprocating courses extending entirely around the tubular fabric and the said courses being united by interlooprnent along a line at the rear of the leg and along the bottom ofthe sole, the sole and the portion of the leg above the heel being reinforced by two separate threads, one introduced in the stitches of said reinforced portions lying on one side of said interlooprnent and the other being introduced into the stitches of said reinforced portions lying on the opposite side of said interloopment.

8. A seamless tubular hut fabric containing a main knitting thread extending throughout all the stitches in each course ing a reinforced portion in the tubular knit portion of the fabric, said reinforced por- 7 tion containing a reinforcing thread in-' troduced into a plurality of successive courses with the main knitting thread and extending through a plurality of successive stitches of each of said successive courses and being continuous and extending in opposite directions in adjacent courses.

9. A seamless tubular knit fabric containing a main knitting thread extending throughout all the stitches in each course entirely around the tubular fabric, and having a reinforced portion in the tubular knit portion thereof, said reinforced portion extending less than the entire distance around the tube and comprising a plurality of consecutive courses containing a reinforcing thread, said reinforcing thread extending with the main knitting thread through a plurality of successive stitches of each of said consecutive courses, and the portions of said reinforcing thread within the stitches of each course being continuous with the portions of the reinforcing thread in the adjacent course or courses.

10. A seamless tubular knit fabric containing a main knitting thread extending throughout all the stitches in each course entirely around the tubular fabric, and having a reinforced portion in the tubular knit portion thereof, said reinforced portion extending less than the entire distance around the tube and containing a continuous reinforcing thread extending parallel with the knitting thread through a plurality of successive stitches of each of the courses of said reinforced portion, said reinforcing thread extending in opposite directions in the adjacent courses of said reinforced portion.

11. A seamless tubular knit fabric having a reinforced portion extending less than the entire distance around the tube, and containing a continuous reinforcing thread extending parallel with the knitting thread through a plurality of successive stitches of each course of said reinforced portion, and extending in opposite directions in adjacent courses of the reinforced portion, the number of reinforced stitches in the different courses of said reinforced portion being different.

12. A seamless tubular knit fabric having a reinforcedoportion extending less than the entire distance around the same, said fabric comprising a plurality of courses of stitches, knit by reciprocating work with the main knitting thread, said courses extending entirely around the fabric and being connected at their ends along a line extending longitudinally of the fabric, and separate reinforcing threads introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course throughout said reinforced portions each reinforcing thread being continuous and lying entirely on one side of said longitudinal line, said reinforcing threads being introduced into different numbers of the stitches of differentcourses of the said reinforced portion of the fabric.

13. In a seamless stocking having the rear portion of the leg above the heel reinforced by two separate reinforcing threads, one of which is introduced into certain stitches of each course of the high splice on one side of a line of demarcation extending longitudinally of the leg and located at the rear thereof and the other being introduced into certain stitches of each course located on the opposite side of said line, the number of reinforced stitches in the courses of the high splice increasing from the upper courses downward.

14. A seamless stocking having the leg portion above the heel reinforced and comprising a plurality of courses of reciprocating stitches extending entirely around the leg portion and having their ends connected at the back of the leg by interloopment, and a certain number of stitches of each course on one side of the line of interloopment, being reinforced by a separate thread and a certain number of stitches of each course on the opposite side of said line being reinforced by'another separate thread, saidreinforced stitches being carried laterally to gradually increasing distances from said line of interloopment in succeeding courses of said reinforced portion from the top thereof downward.

15. A seamless stocking having the foot portion provided with a plurality of courses reinforced around the sole portion throughout the length of the sole portion, the reinforced stitches of said courses extending less than the entire distance around the foot portion, and extending different distances around the foot less than the entire way around in courses at different points longitudinally of the sole.

16. A- seamless stocking having the foot portion provided with a plurality of courses reinforced around the sole portion throughout the length of the sole portion, the reinforced stitches of said courses extending less than the entire distance around the foot portion and the reinforced stitches in those of said reinforced courses nearly to the toe pocket extending farther around but less than the entire way around the foot portion, than in those courses located in the centrally disposed portion of the foot.

17 A seamless stocking having a foot portion comprising a plurality of courses reinforced around the sole, the reinforced stitches of said courses extending less than the entire distance around the foot portion, the reinforced stitches of those of said reinforced courses adjacent to the heel pocket extending farther around the foot portion but less than the entire way around than in those courses located in the centrally disposed portion of the foot.

18. A seamless stocking having a foot portion reinforced along the sole, the reinforced stitches of said reinforced portions extending less than the entire distance around the foot portion, those courses of said reinforced portions located in the centrally disposed por tion of the foot having the reinforced stitches extending less than half way around the foot portion and those courses of said reinforced portion adjacent to the heel and toe pockets, having. the reinforced stitches extending a greater distance around but less than the entire way around the foot portion.

19. A. seamless stocking having the foot portion composed of a plurality of courses of reciprocating work knit with the main knitting thread, said courses being united by i'IllLBllOOPIDGIli? at a line extending along the bottom of the sole, and said courses being relnforced by two separate reinforcing threads one of which is introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course on one side of said line of interloopnient and the other being introduced into a certain number of stitches of each course on the other side of said line of interloopment, the number of reinforced stitches in said courses being greater adjacent to the heel and toe pockets than in the courses located through the centrally disposed portion of the foot.

20. The herein described process of knitting a tubular fabric, which consists in knitting successive courses of reciprocating work each course extending entirely around the tube and connecting the ends of said courses by interlooping the same.

21. The herein described process of knitting a tubular fabric which consists in knitting successive coursesof stitches extending entirely around the tubular fabric, and

introducing two separate reinforcing threads at points on opposite sides of a common line of demarcation extending longitudinally of the tube and knitting each of said reinforcing threads reciprocatingly between the said line of demarcation and a, point in each course at one side of said line.

22. The herein described process of knitting a tubular fabric which consists in knitting successive courses extending entirely around the tube, by reciprocating work and uniting the ends of said courses, by inter- -loopment, and reinforcing portions of the tube by introducing two separate reinforcing threads at two points on opposite sides of the line of interloopment and knitting each of said reinforcing threads reciprocatingly into the stitches lying between the line of interloopinent and a point ineach course at one side of said line, all the stitchescontaining each reinforcing thread lying on one side of said line.

23. The herein described-process of knitting-a tubular fabric which consists in knitting successive courses extending entirely around the tube, by reciprocating work and uniting the ends of said courses by interloopment, and reinforcing portions of the tube by introducing two separate reinforcing threads at two points on opposite sides of the line of interloopment and knitting each of said reinforcing threads reciprocatingly into the stitches lying between the line of interloopment and a point in each course at one side of said line and carrying the reinforcing thread through the stitches of certain courses to different distances from the line of interloopment.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

J. M. Enrcnson, GEORGE C. ltmeonnn. 

